Two Good Books
Probably the most-asked question at the Readers Services desk is, "can you recommend a good book?" And the answer to that question today is, "Yes! Yes I can." I've just finished reading two absolutely delightful books, and so I'll tell you about them before you have a chance to ask.
The first is Erica Bauermeister's The School of Essential Ingredients, which is the name of a cooking school run by the sensitive and oh-so wise Lillian. Lillian is as intuitive at discerning the emotional needs of her students as she is sensitive to the subtle nuances of flavors, textures, and aromas in the dishes she prepares. Bauermeister gives each student his or her due: young mother Claire, learning the importance of taking time for herself; newly widowed Tom, who honors his late wife in the preparation of food; the aging Isabella, whose short-term memory is failing but whose memories of a long-ago love affair bring comfort. Bauermeister writes lyrically, sensuously of food while rendering the emotional journeys of her characters with poignant sensitivity. I listened to this novel on audiobook, and it's a miracle I didn't stop in at every restaurant I passed.
My next favorite read of late is Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge. Another novel-in-stories, this compilation of thirteen interwoven tales set in a Maine coastal community is connected by the force of the title character. Olive Kitteridge is a formidable woman -- big, brusque, the quintessential stoic New Englander. And yet she has a tender side belied by her gruff practicality. We meet her long-suffering, hail-fellow-well-met husband, Henry, the local pharmacist, and their son, Christopher, who grows to be a diffident, taciturn young man all too eager to turn his back on his parents and his community. The lives of other townspeople such as Henry's young assistant and Olive's former students may all take center stage as the stories unwind, but it is Olive who unites them as they work through rage and grief, wonderment and confusion. Olive Kitteridge was named a Best Book of 2008 by dozens of publications, from People Magazine to the Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic to the Wall Street Journal. It was also short-listed for the National Book Critics Circle award.
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At this time of year, with the Academy Awards recently behind us, movies are a hot topic. And among readers, one thread usually involves a contrast between book and movie. Of course, some readers are never interested in seeing a movie after reading the book- after all, how can it possibly compare? Other people simply aren't interested in the book after enjoying the movie- I guess they don't want to be disillusioned if the author's descriptions don't match what that person saw. But, as evidenced by the long holds lists for a title when the film version is about to be re- leased, many people do enjoy both. If you are one of these people, you will be interested in one of our displays this month in Readers' Services: 